The last thing you would expect from a franchise based around giant robots is thought-provoking and graciously portrayed queer relationships, yet here we are. Officially starting in 1984 as an animated cartoon, the Transformers is an incredible franchise with something for everyone.

From the scores of toys for the collectors, kids, and stop motion enthusiasts, to the array of shows, movies, and comics for fans of the lore and characters, Transformers has it all. This is further exemplified by the amount of care and attention put into the many facets of Transformers sexuality.

Despite them being giant robots from space, gender does exist in the Transformers world, though it is a lot more fluid than human sexuality. In the beginning, however, this was not the case. At first, all the Transformers were male, but that changed only a year later with the addition of Elita-One and her team of “Female Autobots”.

Of course they weren’t the only ones, but they were the most famous. That is until the most famous female transformer, Arcee, debuted in the beloved but controversial 1986 Transformers movie. Though Arcee is a juggernaut character now, her origins were difficult as her very existence met major pushback.

While clunkily implemented, adding female Transformers was a major step toward equal representation between male and female audiences at the time. After all, loving giant robots isn’t a gendered concept. Everyone loves giant robots. Everyone.

Though this was met with some complaints and resistance, even from some of the staff, the female Autobots were there to stay, and eventually more came into being. Now that a precedent was set, more female Transformers filled the rosters, with many being fan favorites to this day.

However in 2012, a fateful writing choice changed Transformers forever. In the “More than Meets the Eye” comic series published by IDW, two male Transformers, Chromedome and Rewind, were confirmed as a couple.

With their relationship not only being positively portrayed, but positively received, a new wave of positive LGBTQ+ representation started. Not long after, numerous romantic female pairings were introduced in the same storyline and subsequent series afterwards.

Of course, this wasn’t without resistance. Notable Transformers comic writer, Simon Furman, was an outspoken critic of female Transformers inclusion, even going so far as to argue with another well-known comic writer, Mairghread Scott in a public forum that spanned days.

While this disagreement was resolved fairly amicably, it led to a larger conversation. Should Transformers have gender or sexuality if they don’t even have reproductive organs? Why should there be gender for giant space robots?

This sparked debate, and to this day no one is truly sure. After all, gender is a social construct humans made. How would beings from another planet even know about it before meeting humans? It depends on the continuity, but that’s not the point that matters now.

Why must there be a conversation over whether female characters should exist? Why must the sexuality of fictional aliens with varying lore and alternate universes be questioned and debated? Is it really that big of a deal if a male robot that turns into a dinosaur likes male robots instead of female robots? Does it matter that the female robots he has no attraction toward exist in the first place?

This line of questioning bleeds into the larger issue of systemic misogyny and homophobia, which is kind of funny when you consider that I’m talking about transforming vehicle people made up by some Japanese dudes in the early ’80s.

Fortunately, the Transformers community is very accepting and is often hailed as one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly fandoms as of now. Despite all the setbacks and clunkiness here and there, Transformers tackles the concepts of gender and sexuality very well. (Of course this isn’t a hard fact and is still subjective.)

Transformers as a property has a very winding and weird history, but like many other fandoms, it should be a safe space for people to be themselves without judgement. Even though Pride Month is over, it’s integral we continue to appreciate these communities regardless. There are highs and lows just like any community, but it’s better to appreciate what we have, especially in a time where it feels like there’s little to appreciate in the first place.

By no means should people lie down and accept only meager earnings, they should demand more and be given deserved compensation. However, it’s also vital to not lose sight of what we do have: A community that accepts all people regardless of who they love. Having that alongside giant robots sounds pretty awesome. That being said, happy belated Pride Month everyone!